St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-11-05
SECRETARY BALFOUR.
He Talks On the Irish Question to
sympathetic Audience.

Sympathetic Audience.
LONDON. Nov. 4.-Mr. Balfour, chief
secretary for Ireland, went to Birming-
ham to-day and attended the first an
nual meeting of the Midland COnServa-
tive union. He was accompanied by
detective and the chief of the Leaning
ton police. At Birmingham armed de-
tectiYeS were posted at the depot to
watch for suspicious characters. Mr..
BalfOur received during the day 100 adj
dresses from Conservative associations.
and in thanking the Populations which
brought them he gave assurance that
the government was resolved to proceed
boldly and firmly with the work they
had taken in hand in Ireland and bring
it to a good conclusion. He admitted
the task was a difficult one, but held
that it was perfectly possible and capa-
Dle of successful accomplishment. Ger
tain incidents in Ireland had caused
some of their friends miSgivingS. but
these incidents were due, not to lack of
resolution on the part of the gov
eminent, but to defects IN the law,
which had never contemplated the
present system of organized popular
rebellion. Mr.. BalfOur addressed a
large and enthusiastic audience at the
town hall this evening. He said he
hoped that at the next session of parlia-
ment England and Scotland would get a
fair share OF legislation. Still, the Irish
question would remain the foremost
problem in the mind of every one who
took an interest in the fortunes of his
country. He had noticed that Mr..
Gladstone hCoting, cries of ''chips"
and laughter although he had men
toned his programme of legislation,
did not appear to take very lively
interest in it himself. Except as re-
CARDS the offer Of the plundering of the
Scotch and Welsh churches as a bride
for the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the empire,
Mr.. Gladstone displayed little interest
in anything except the Irish question,
and no man had done more to make it
impossible to ignore the Irish
be his Balfour's) topic to-
night. The question was not
whether Ireland was to be governed
under her own or an English parlia-
menJ, but whether she was to be gov
erned at all in accordance with any of
those principles which had hitherto reg
ulated the action of every civilized state
in the world. (cheerSl. Referring to the
events of the winter OF 1885 he compared
the liberal party to those barbaric ant
eaters who got baptized because their
king embraced Christianity. One morn
ing Mr.. Gladstone announced himself a
home ruler. and forthwith a large see
ton of the liberals declared themselves
home rulers. Some of them explained
to a soothing public the reason for their
conversion, while others. like Harcourt.
evidently believed that 1.-THE least said.
the sooner mended;" and that it w; s
possible for men to alter their opinions
regarding ireland and yet retain the
traditions hitherto governing their
party.
They might have allied themselves
with the Parnellite party so far as the
question of home rule was concerned,
and rejected fusion; but they had in
stead rejected an alliance and
ACCEPTED FUSION.
and their principal object now. as evil
denced by every paragraph of Mr.
GladStone's shameful speeches, was to
render difficult the government of Ire
land. In cOndemning Mr.. GladstOne's
inconsistency and his present tactics,
Mr.. Balf0uT declared that not one of
the evictiOnS now occurring could have
been prevented, even if the amend
ment which Mr.. Gladstone wanted had
been inserted in the land bill Mr.
GladStone'S criticisms on land legiSla-
ton was strange indeed, coming from q
man who for sixteen or seventeen years
had fruitlessly tinkered with the ques-
ton. In regard to the unhappy affair
at MitchelStown, Mr.. Gladstone had at
tackled him (BalfOur) personally for not
listening in silence 10 bitter attacks
made on .aen who spent their lives in
defense of the law. The demon of in
accuracy had pursued Mr.. Gladstone,
even to his assertions on this sub
ject. But it was unneces-
sary to enter into details
in justifying the police. If, as
the Nationalist and Mr.. Gladstone de-
lighted to say, the police were defeated
and routed. could any one blame them if
they fired? TCSes of ''Oh"l. The truth
was the NatyShalists, including MIR.
Gladstone, must choose
UPON WHICH HORSE
they will ride. If they choose to triumph